Empathy training program for undergraduate healthcare students using AI-generated virtual clients
Official title: Empathy Training for Undergraduate Nursing Students Through Combined Didactic, Practical and AI-based Methods
Run by Hong Kong Metropolitan University · NCT07320365 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests whether a short empathy training that uses AI-generated 3D virtual clients and traditional teaching can improve empathy and communication skills in undergraduate healthcare students.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 108 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Hong Kong Metropolitan University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Ho Man Tin, Kowloon) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 1, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2026 |
| Study ends | December 2026 |
| Registry record updated | June 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07320365 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are native Chinese-speaking undergraduate students enrolled in healthcare-related programs, age 18 or older, with no prior empathy training or prior healthcare work experience and who have not been primary carers for disabled or chronically ill people.
✕Probably not a fit
Students who already have prior empathy training, substantial healthcare work experience, or who served as main carers for disabled or chronically ill people may show little additional benefit due to prior exposure or ceiling effects.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The program combines brief didactic lectures, skills rehearsal, mindfulness exercises, and practice with AI-generated 3D virtual clients delivered through a Unity-based user interface with a chatbot for interactive Q&A. Undergraduate healthcare students who meet eligibility criteria will complete the training and be measured before and after the program on empathetic attitudes, empathetic communication skills, and cognitive flexibility using standardized instruments. The intervention is designed to offer more consistent, scalable experiential practice than role-play or standardized patients. The project is conducted at Hong Kong Metropolitan University and targets native Chinese-speaking students.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help healthcare students communicate more empathetically and flexibly with patients, improving patient experience and care quality.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work using virtual reality and experiential learning for empathy training has shown promise but produced inconsistent results, so this AI-virtual-client approach is promising but not yet proven at scale.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * undergraduate students enrolled in a nursing program * no previous experience with empathy-related training * no previous experience working in healthcare settings * age 18 years or above * native Chinese speakers. Exclusion Criteria: \- are or were the main carers of people who are disabled or chronically ill because empathy may be promoted through experience.
Where it's running
-
Hong Kong Metropolitan University
Ho Man Tin, Kowloon, Hong Kong Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Tai Wa Liu, PhD — Hong Kong Metropolitan University
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.